HBO’s polarizing series “The Idol,” brought to life by Sam Levinson and Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, will not return for a second season, marking the conclusion of its one-season run.
A spokesperson for HBO commented, “‘The Idol’ stood as one of HBO’s boldest original productions, amassing a positive viewer response. Following careful deliberation by HBO, the creators, and producers, the decision has been reached not to proceed with a second season. The dedication of the creators, cast, and crew to this project is greatly acknowledged.”
The first season, originally intended for six episodes but truncated to five, wrapped up on July 2nd. The call to halt the series emerged due to uncertainty among viewers and cast members regarding its future. Moses Sumney, a lead actor, stated in an interview with Variety that he initially signed on believing it was a limited series. Conversely, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, another lead, expressed her understanding that everyone was gearing up for a follow-up season. Amid swirls of cancellation, HBO took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to clarify that no status update was available then.
Crafted by Levinson and The Weeknd, who starred alongside Lily-Rose Depp, “The Idol” captured headlines well before its premiere. In April 2022, news circulated about Amy Seimetz’s departure as director, with Levinson stepping in to oversee extensive reshoots. In March 2023, a damning Rolling Stone exposé detailed allegations of a toxic set environment, prompting The Weeknd to release a deleted scene where his character dismissed Rolling Stone as “irrelevant.” At the Cannes Film Festival, Levinson acknowledged that the article propelled the show into the spotlight as the “most anticipated show of the summer.”
Regarding reception, “The Idol” failed to impress, garnering a mere 19% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A review by Variety described the series as a “sordid male fantasy.”
As for ratings, the show garnered moderate numbers. It debuted with 913,000 viewers, marking a 17% decrease compared to the 2019 launch of “Euphoria,” another HBO production by Levinson targeting a young adult demographic with fewer celebrities attached at its initial release. However, viewership climbed to 3.6 million within the first week and reached 7 million. The second episode saw a decline to 800,000 viewers on its premiere night.
Throughout the series, HBO opted not to disclose specific viewership figures.
In addition to Levinson and The Weeknd, Reza Fahim also contributed as a co-creator of “The Idol.” The trio assumed executive production roles alongside Kevin Turen, Ashley Levinson, Joe Epstein, Sara E. White, and Aaron L. Gilbert from Bron. A24 also produced the series.
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